Tom ushimbanga mukeke wa makonde abuzwize.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom uyanga kwa musika kuyolekisa makonde.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Batu kwa musika baleka litolwana.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Kono akuna yaleka makonde a Tom. Balata kuleka litolwana kwa basali.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
“Mwa sibaka saluna, ki basali feela baba lekisanga litolwana.” batu babulela. “Ki muuna ya cwani yo?” batu babuza.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Kono Tom azwafi. Wa huweleza, “amuleke makonde aka! amuleke makonde aka abuzwize mi amunati!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Musali yomumu ashimba sing’ata sa makonde mwa mukeke. Atalimisisa makonde katokomelo.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Musali yo aleka makonde.
The woman buys the bananas.
Batu babang’ata bataha fa sintolo. Baleka makonde a Tom ni kuaca.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Onafa fa mukeke kele kufela. Tom wabala masheleng’i a fumani.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Cwale Tom waleka mulola, swikili, mi sinkwa. Lika ze alibeya mwa mukeke wahae.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tom watengenya mukeke wahae fa toho anze aya kwandu.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 2
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